After leaving Cooktown and having restricted access to the communications we normally take for granted, it takes a while to leave ones frustrations behind and became humble and more in tune with mother nature. Apart from the time that I would like use someone for fish bait because of bad workmanship and making things fail when you need them, being in areas of total solitude with maybe few crocodiles eying you for the next meal make this challenge a worthwhile effort.

Going from Cooktown to Lizard Island was a non eventful day and on arrival the anchorage area was full so I anchored outside the reef and it was a rock and roll night. After a leg stretching exorcise and a bit of learning of the Island past I went to the exclusive Marlin Resort and ask for the opportunity to have a drink and taste their food. Fat chance, even if I was dying of thirst and starving, the manager pointed out with an air of total importance that the resort was for use of their valued guests and I did not fit that category. He is another person I would like to use as crock bait.

Left Lizard Island after seeing no Lizard,and then Raymarine decided to have a day off

I told myself “serve you right” for using Raymarine. I am compiling a nice letter that I will not publish here but will send to Raymarine.

Arrived at Cape Melville on 28/9/10 and it was a good anchorage. Could only get sharks on the line so gave fishing away.

Continuing the following day to Morris Island, the wind picked up to 30 knots and stayed at that all day and night. After seeing the resident crock on the island on arrival , decided to go and see him the following morning but could only see where he had dinner that night.

With wind still blowing between 30 and 35 knot left Morris Island for Portland Roads, just a stopover before cape Grenville.

Cape Grenville is a nice place to spend a few days, the fishing is good and is very protected and swell free.

After two days in Cape Grenville, the next stop was Escape River with the Pearl Farm’s cages and floats all over the place. This day Nautibuoytoo was surfing at 17 knots with 35 to 40 knots S/SE.

Escape River is also a very secure anchorage with very tall fringing mangroves along the edges

Today was the end of travelling North as Cape York was rounded and tonight anchorage is at Simpson Bay between Possession Inland and the mainland.